Lucky Literacy--Reading and Writing Ideas for St. Patrick's Day

Thanks for leaping over fromThe Primary Pack's Lucky Linky to check out my newest literacy pack that is full of fun leprechaun-themed poems and writing activities!

The St. Patrick's Day fun in Room 2 will start with a study of Irish folktales. Tomie de Paola's

stories are wonderful mentor texts to model descriptive language, as well as story elements.

Some of my favorites include Jamie O'Rourke and the Big Potato, Jamie O'Rourke and the Pooka, and Fin M'Coul.

Another favorite read aloud that models the "trickster tale" theme common to leprechaun folklore is

Clever Tom and the Leprechaun by Linda Shute.

The surprise ending always makes my students exclaim with glee and want to change the story title to "The Clever Leprechaun and Tom" or "How Tom Got Tricked."

Once we've explored a variety of Irish folktales, we try our hand at composing our own using "What If?" prompts that help us imagine and think creatively.

Students use a thematic word wall and titled templates to compose their own, either in response to a whole group lesson or at a literacy center.

Our St. Patrick's Day language arts lessons would not be complete without fun fluency poems that correspond to our writing prompts. My students love reading them with a peer and rounding up rhyming pairs and compound words they find in the text. This year, we plan to also enjoy them at

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As always, thanks so much for stopping by to share my story! Continue to keep a song in your heart and teach your children well! May this favorite saying keep you inspired as we wait patiently for spring!